Quote from: sdsds on 01/04/2015 10:24 am"AIS Source: 1142 Charleston Pilots"Ah, yes, and now there is an updated position for Elsbeth III from the same source. Status is 'Restricted Manoeuvrability', consistent with towing a BFB
"AIS Source: 1142 Charleston Pilots"
Looking at Google Maps, I noticed something. For the ASDS to dock where it does, it must first pass under I-295 on the St. John's River. While obviously the Carnival Cruise ships pass under that bridge, and they are tall by any normal standards for ships, does that bridge provide the approximately 160' clearance that the ASDS with a Falcon 9 first stage standing up on it would need to pass underneath? Answered my own question: Wikipedia tells me that the bridge has 175 feet (53m) clearance below.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dames_Point_BridgeNow that would be quite a photo-op. And imagine the traffic jam on the bridge from the rubber-neckers as the barge passes by.
172ft Max. now how much ASDS can adjust its buoyancy with ballast is out there. By the way http://www.mcdonoughmarine.com/assets/pdf/MARMAC-300.pdf shows all tanks on MARMAC300 and their capacity.
Listed ballast refers to tanks set up for properly monitored and filtered for legal discharge. They can also flood cargo holds, like they did to raise the Delta Conveyor, and bring that deck so low it looks like a raft. They just couldn't discharge the water at will without proper procedures. Part of the modifications could have been lining the cargo holds and setting them up as ballast tanks.
Go Quest is classed a cargo/supply ship and has a large deck with heavy hold downs. What are the odds they'll transfer the stage to her for an upright ride back?
Quote from: docmordrid on 01/04/2015 06:47 pmGo Quest is classed a cargo/supply ship and has a large deck with heavy hold downs. What are the odds they'll transfer the stage to her for an upright ride back?Sounds like a risky move to me, dangling a tall rocket from a crane on a pitching deck and trying to lower it onto a different pitching deck. Why bother? Why not just tie it down to the ASDS deck?
Ahh...was tying to parse why that kind of ship vs. another tug. Seemed a tad excessive.
And are we sure about 160' figure? Marmac 300 has 18' height how long is falcon 9 first stage + I/E when on its legs? I think it should be ~47m any good source?
SpaceFlight 101 has 42m for the first stage. When standing on its legs, it should be about 2m taller. Plus you have to count the height of the interstage. Judging by proportions, it appears to be 4-5 meters in length. That's 49 meters, which is about 160' feet.
Quote from: meekGee on 01/04/2015 09:42 pmQuote from: IslandPlaya on 01/04/2015 09:29 pmAh, yes...Very funny.Should that not be in the party thread?Not much value will be lost, agreed, but between now and Tuesday, what else are we to do but party?The joking gets in the way of obsessing over every movement of an empty barge and capturing webcam output every seven seconds of a scene that isn't changing for hours.
Quote from: IslandPlaya on 01/04/2015 09:29 pmAh, yes...Very funny.Should that not be in the party thread?Not much value will be lost, agreed, but between now and Tuesday, what else are we to do but party?
Ah, yes...Very funny.Should that not be in the party thread?